Jim,

Without a completelt alternate roue across the Columbia, we will still be stuck with increasing traffic on the rest of the I-5 route. Do you want to see us embark on an expensive rebuilding project on that, too? Like Sam Adam's Freeway Loop Advisory Group proposed in 2005? If they go for the full-tunnel option, that was estimated at $5-8 billion five years ago, how much would it be in 2015 or 2020? Perhaps there is a cheaper fix for that problem---and I think there would be if we relieve pressure with a new route---but starting down this slope will get the dreamers out wanting BIG public projects.

I am not even sure if we can get federal dollars to do any of that.

How do you only do a minor rebuild of the SR-14 interchange when it needs to connect to a new bridge?

Dave H Says: How do you only do a minor rebuild of the SR-14 interchange when it needs to connect to a new bridge?
JK: The low cost option uses the old bridges for North bound, so that connection remains. The minor rebuild is to get SR-14 west bound to I-5 south. SR-14 already goes above the freeway, so it just needs to go up more and head South instead of North into the loop. Hopefully some of the current fill can be used, if not it is still a lot less than the full rebuild that comes with replacing both bridges.

Thanks
JK